Azula wasn't lying. That's the whole reason Zuko's mother was banished because she killed Zuko's grandpa azulon when she learned that ozai was going to kill Zuko for him.
If you want low hanging fruit there's always "The Avatar and the Fire Lord." If you want outside the box...It'd be nice if someone addressed the fact that Amon was right in TLoK. Non-benders are second class citizens in a lot of ways, especially as seen in the first season. It feels like the show contrived a backstory for Amon in order to force him into villain-hood. Korra spends MOST of the first season indulging her hubris and her power while ignoring the plight of the commoners. It would have been sweet to have the apotheosis of her arc in season one be the realization that Amon's movement is just and in so doing unlocking airbending whilst having her other elements locked.
Zuko's grandfather did intent to have his son kill Zuko. This is explained during the day of black sun. But Zuko's mother conspired with her husband to kill the emperor instead, to keep Zuko alive.
And that just makes Azula even more sadistic. When she was still a little kid, she found out about the planned murder of her brother by her father. Instead of trying to warn him or even doing nothing, she relishes in this. She goes to tell Zuko in that snarky, prideful voice in such a way that Zuko doesn't know weather to believe her or not, making his torment much greater
I am deeply concerned whenever somebody says Darth Vader or Vegeta have the best redemption arc of all time... So then I insist they watch Avatar The Last Airbender.
@@ezraelreynolds3442 Not really Darth Vader, to be honest in retrospect his was more like a last minute thing. And dying as his redemption moment feels cheap. Thus we don't see reformed Darth Vader like we see reformed Zuko and reformed Vegeta.
@@WiloPolis03 The fact that on IMDB it ranks among the top 10 series of all time, with only Rick and Morty as the other animated series should say enough. Especially since ATLA is over a decade old.
IMO it's one of the best written episodes in all of television, not just animation. Should go up there with The Office, Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul.
One correction. Azula wasn't lying when she said Azulon ordered Zuko's death. That's why Ursa conspired to kill Azulon, by giving Ozai a untraceable poison.
@@cornelladyas1134 The Comics review the whole truth... but the show heavily implies that Ursa did something, cause the very next say of Azula saying Ozai was gonna kill Zuko, Azulon dies and Ursa vanishes.
Iroh: "Argh this tea tastes like hot leaf juice." Zuko: "Uncle that's what all tea is." Iroh: "How can a member of my own family say something so horrible."
*Zuko definitely is the greatest character in Avatar. I really love how the show convinced me that he was a compelling character not just as a villain. I sure do miss the show a lot.*
If you want something with a similar vibe and progression maybe check out full metal alchemist: brotherhood, the dragon prince (disclaimer: I have not watched it just heard it's similar) Voltron, legendary defender or Hunter X hunter. Stay cool pal.
I think Zuko is one of the greatest character of all time. He's definitely my favorite in Avatar and then Iroh. Zuko IS the definition of character development
Man you kinda skimmed over Zuko's arc and a major theme in the episode, identity. After abandoning Iroh, Zuko is left wandering. Not just literally but figuratively. Like majority of the series, he's struggling to figure out who he is. It's especially true in this episode as he's on his own for the first time and can't tell anybody his identity for his own safety. When he's first asked his name by Lee's mother, he hesitates before Lee's father says he doesn't have to answer. The question is then left hanging, "who is Zuko?" The entire episode he is the only person who knows his true identity, but even Zuko isn't sure who that is so he reflects on his childhood. At the end of the final battle, he remembers his mother's final words, "NEVER FORGET WHO YOU ARE." He realizes the only way he can succeed is to stop hiding who he is. Stop being ashamed and afraid of what he is. And, not to mention, "never give up without a fight" as the dagger Iroh gave him reads. He does what's right at the expense of everyone hating him, proudly stating his name and title before leaving the village with his head high. A crucial step in Zuko's journey to finding himself.
Awesome points, and I think that final moment where the village hates him for who he is, is kinda the first instance where zukos like, ok something needs to change here. I need to change what my name means, whether or not he would've fully admitted it at this point in the story.
One of my favourite exchanges in Zuko Alone is right at the end, when Azula takes Zuko's knife and he tells her to give it back. Azula says: 'who's going to make me? Mom?' It's such a small line, but it's so goddamn ominous, because it makes you realise that Zuko is completely defenceless now his mother has been banished. He's going to be stuck between Ozai and Azula with nobody to shield him from their abuse. This episode is so subtle and dark and truly is Avatar at its best.
destinyawaitsx3 To be fair to the child, it's not like he saw Zuko's flashbacks as they were happening 😂 Sad as it was I can't say I fault the kid for doing what he did. From his perspective Zuko deceived him and was the reason he was kidnapped by the military thugs.
@Anakin Skywalker well he had to say who he was for the true effect. the whole episode was about accepting who you are. flashbacks of his mother telling him to be who he is are what ended up fueling his fire, and he ended up proclaiming the truth about himself, even though it got him rejected. it showed how painful acceptance of oneself can be, especially to someone like zuko who had been rejected his entire life and who continued to be rejected throughout much of the series. not a smart decision, but a neccessary, impactful and powerful one that really made the episode
Azulon scolded his dishonorable youngest son (Ozai) for his out of line speech about Lu Ten's death, during his petition for the throne's right over Iroh's, to which Azulon ordered Ozai to sacrifice his son, Zuko, so that he too would know the unending grief of losing your only son. Mistaken was Azulon, however, to belive Ozai was anything like his brother Iroh. Ozai did not give two shits about sacrificing his own son, as he already treated Zuko like shit, under the suspicion that he was fruit of an affair. Zuko's mom, Ursula, was against this, so she made a deal with Ozai. She offered to poison Azulon and kill him, so that Zuko would be spared from death. In exchange, Ozai would become Firelord, and she'd be exiled for her crime. Surprisingly dark, for a children's show. But Avatar's awesome like that.
Ursa not Ursula, also I think Azulon suspected that other may feel the way that Ozai did that it was better for Ozai to be heir since he had an heir of his own, and the killing Zuko thing was probably partially to prevent a civil war.
Wait how did the government decide ozai would get the throne? By their law, wouldn’t iroh get offered the throne first? Possible plot hole? Can anyone explain this please?
@@leviloveserwin1809 No plothole at all. This was during Iroh's lowest point in his life. Totally devastated by his loss, i can see Iroh rejecting the fire throne (a fact counted and exploited by his brother Ozai, who is known to be cunning and manipulative). Iroh then took his self-impossed exile, where he not only visited the nations he used to wage war on, but also supossedly had a life-changing experience in a mysterious trip to the spirit world.
@@leviloveserwin1809 The logic is Iroh lost his only son, so his family line has no heir to the throne. Ozai still has an heir (aka his children) so the throne is better to go to him.
@@nhancao4790 but at the ending of the episode in Azulon's funeral/ Ozai's coronation the master of ceremonies (or whatever he was) he says:... As it was your dying wish, you will be succeeded by your second son... Which means Azulon wanted it that way. Unless it was a lie of course. Remember even after Luten's death Azulon still wanted Iroh to succeed him as he got angry with Ozai when he asked him to make him Fire Lord using the excuse you talk about.
Zuko was the character that made me understand character growth and its importance in a long running story And i just love how its represented in his different hair styles Who would have guessed Zuko to become the one teaching aang how to firebend after watching the first episodes.. just brilliant writing
have you also seen the clip of Izumi saying that she was staying out of this nonsense fighting and that her grandfathers spent too much time fighting nonsense wars.and she excluded her father Zuko since he ended the war, man he did a good job with her
2:36 you say that Azula tells Zuko that his grandfather ordered his death. Then Zuko tells himself that Azula always lies, and that he is right. BUT Zuko's grandfather did order for Zuko to be killed. Zuko's dad was like "ok, whatever, I'll kill him, he is useless anyways," but then when Zuko's mom finds out she seeks to save Zuko by telling Zuko's father a plan for Zuko's father to take the throne. Then she kills Zuko's grandfather, she is banished, and Zuko's father takes the throne.
@@juliansmit3770 ye What's also always bothered me is the fact that they say sozin was ozai's grandfather. Between the death of roku (at which time sozin seemed at least a 70 y/o man and the show's present there is a 112 year gap. In one episode it is said that azulon was firelord for 22 years and ozai has been firelord for probably less than ten years. That would mean sozin lived about 80 more years after the death of roku
@@juliansmit3770 True, but at least Azulon still cared. After all, Azulon said that after Iroh lost his son. Even if Iroh had brought him disgrace, he understood his son was mourning and respected it. He also believed Zuko's death would hurt Ozai, so to me, Azulon seems like a cruel man who had a heart underneath, even if it was rotten. Ozai didn't had a heart at all.
@@juliansmit3770 I don't think he really did it to make Ozai know what it was like to lose a son. I think he did it to prevent a succession crisis. A lot of real life regimes have acted similarly, in the ottoman empire the brothers of the chosen heir were executed on his succession to prevent pretenders. Azulon was essentially shutting down the argument Ozaie mad that Ozai should succeed because he had successors of his own. Giving Iroh time to potentially have a new heir and restore balance to the succession.
Zuko also gave the knive away because it belonged to a general in Ba Sing Se, and after Zuko realized that the family lost their eldest son in the war (like Iroh lost his only son), he might have felt wrong further keeping this knive. The story of this dagger came full circle when he gave it to the boy he saw himself in. I love how they wrote that Zuko probably also realizes he gave the boy the wrong idea when he gifts him the knive. Zuko, throughout this episode, has had troubles with the "guards", and even supported the kid's shenanigans. He also showed him basic sword fighting skills like the oldee brothee. So the kid obviously projected his lost brother's relationship onto Zuko, understandably. So when he receives the dagger that even says "never give up without a fight", right after losing his brother, oh gods of course he's gonna do that. It's basically an assignment at this point, even though Zuko never meant it.
I love that it would have been so easy for you to talk fluff for another 46 seconds in order to hit that 10-minute mark, but you didn't. You said what you wanted to say. God, I love your channel so much.
1 correction, Azula was NOT lying about Ozai being ordered to kill Zuko. She told him that, not because she is a liar (though she is) but because she is a sadist who gets off on other people's pain.
The flashbacks also give an insight into how Azula treats her friends Mai and Ty-Lee. God I gotta give Mai and Ty-Lee credit for putting up with this for YEARS (though realistically that isn’t good for them) up till the moment they decide to stop helping her.
Maryam Muhib I kinda feel like the great divide is the perfect filler episode to kinda introduce the broader world that doesn’t involve benders too much. Idk it’s not my favorite episode either but I feel like it still helps with the pacing of the show
@@m1dnight426 Its the worst episode of the show, but ATLA was the best show ever, so the Great Divide on its own is a decent filler episode, its the silver coin in a bag of gold coins.
Totaly agree about how well written this show was. I just watched casually when the show first aired but got sucked into it quickly. Now I am 32 an rewatched the whole show with my 7 year old son. The characters are better written than in most adult shows. For me it's one of the best, if not the best animated series ever created
It’s so awesome how this show turned its limits into its strengths. ATLA’s inability to directly portray dark themes on screen made it so thoughtful and gave it more depth
Yeah honestly. The subtly about things, like Zuko's mother killing Azulon, were things I didn't pick up as a kid and as an adult give me chills. It's like Hitchcock, hinting at things and letting your mind imagine them is far more chilling
Great video so far but if memory serves me right it's actually true that zukos grandfather commanded ozai to kill him because ozai requested that he be made next in line for the throne after irohs son died and he failed to conquer bah sing se. That's the whole reason zukos mother is gone because it's believed she kills the fire Lord for ozai to save zuko
@@captainmidnight thats fucking wild holy shit. nickelodeon really outdid themselves by creating this show and allowing the showrunners to fulfill their vision
its true dude... read the comics... ozai was gonna kill zuko, but instead poisoned fire lord azulon so that he would be made king before even iroh returns
I always like to imagine that one day, after the events of the story are ended, Zuko saw the kid again, both of them all grown up, and they finally reconciled their differences to become friends. But I know that probably wouldn't have happened. It just makes me happy to pretend that it would.
@@bartandaelus359 Saw Korra and read a handful of the post-ending comics (not all). Of the stuff I've seen, little Lee never reunited with Zuko. If I missed it somewhere, definitely let me know. I'd kill to read it. :)
My guess is he found they boy's captured older brother and brought him back to his family. I don't think he stayed for a thank you though, it's not Zuko's style, he doesn't do what he does for a thank you he does it because his honor demands it.
@@DaDunge Yeah, that sounds highly plausible to me for Zuko's character. But as far as the logic of the events of the show, idk if Zuko would be even given the chance to do that. It would only work if Sensu (Lee's big brother) even managed to survive that long in the army at all. Not to mention, Lee's father, Gansu, was planning to join the army to go find Sensu and bring him home. As a simple non-bending farmer, his chances of survival surely wouldn't be very high either. In all likelihood, Lee and his mother would have been left all by themselves to take care of the farm, and they would probably still be under the thumb of those Earth bending tyrants. (Just cause Zuko beat them once doesn't mean they would leave for good). So... sadly, I kinda doubt Lee's family would get a happy ending like that. Even if Zuko did everything he could to track down Sensu and Gansu, there probably wouldn't be anyone left for him to find. :(
The fact that this channel is embracing more and more videos about niche topics but specifically Avatar is like the best thing ever. Keep up the good work, love your super calm, thoughtful presentation!
Not really, it’s really the bad boy turns into a good guy cliche you’ve seen a million times in tv shows. If you want greatest character of all time in terms of arc then you should watch the entire Naruto anime for Sasuke and Gaara and that’s we’re you’ll have the greatest character of all time in terms of arc🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️
My favorite part is when he announces that he is Prince Zuko son of the firelord not in a way that he had before, almost accepting the crap hes come from very big moment for his character arguably the biggest
One of the best channels for writing and analysis on UA-cam and one of the best shows ever to air. Time to be a nitpicky UA-cam commenter though... Azulon DOES tell Ozai to kill Zuko as a punishment for his presumption to take the throne. The graphic novels, which are cannon, go into this further when Zuko goes to find his mother after becoming Fire Lord. Ursa, Zuko's mother, uses an untraceable poison to assassinate Azulon. Technically, Azula is lying but only because she believes that Ozai will follow through and doesn't know about the assassination plot. Seriously though, your work on this channel is inspired.
Ozai was actually going to do it, he admits it to Zuko during the day of black sun. However Ursa provides Ozai with a way to actually ascend to the throne.
This is one of my favorite episodes because it give Zuko’s story much more depth way before his legit redemption in season 3. At this point in the series, we know how he got his scar, but not much else about him, and this gives the audience so much insight on his life before that time. Zuko was born into a life of privilege, but within his own family was underprivileged himself. The only person who cared for him was his mother and she was taken away from him, which makes it that much more impactful later ok when he relates to Katara. Overall, this episode is a wonderfully written character study that really stands out to me.
What I find particularly tragic in this episode, is that I'm convinced that the dad wouldn't have cared about who Zuko actually is; he was really shown to be the type of person who doesn't judge a person's past, but rather how they are now, and Zuko did help his family and saved his son. However, since the dad had left, he wasn't around to influence his family
I just watched this show for the first time. At 24, I don't have "nostalgia blindness" for it, and I can say without a doubt it is the best animated shows I have ever seen.
I've always liked that shot of Zuko contemplating the couple for two reasons: One you've already mentioned, and the other being the close up camera shot of him reaching for his weapon. Just like Zuko's scar is symbolic of "the human heart in conflict with itself" , so too is his dual sword. They could have just shown a full frame shot of him reaching for his sword, but the intense close up I think was made on purpose to draw attention to the two conflciting parts within Zuko . Jet is also given dual swords, and he too finds himself caught having to make choices between right and wrong. Overall just a really nice detail by the writers.
WoW! I never thought about the detail that Azula is like michael from godfather who does evil things but with forethought and reason instead of only being the generic bad guy.
I think Zuko’s dilemma showed up far earlier than Zuko Alone. Remember the storm? He starts off saying he doesn’t care about the well-being of his crew but in the end he abandons his pursuit of Aang because he does care about his crew after all. He’s trying so hard to be like his father but he just can’t do it.
Zuko is always gonna be my top favorite character along with Yuna from Final Fantasy X. Both of them shaped me into the person I am today. Zuko's arc was so emotional and powerful, sometimes it shocks me that this is considered a "kids show" because man.. they really smack you in the feels with some heavy stuff. This show only gets better as you get older in my opinion. You truly appreciate it and truly understand the heaviness of the sad moments, the fear Aang has about trying to decide if he wants to use violence to stop Ozai, Iroh losing his son, Zuko struggling to get on the right path, Katara confronting the man who killed her mother, etc. Man it just gets so much better with time. Love this show so much.
2:45 But she wasn't lying. In the comics they reveal that not only did Azulon tell Ozai to kill Zuko, he was going to do it until Zuko's mother steps in.
The amount of depth Zuko has in a Nickelodeon cartoon is honestly really crazy. The amount of layers he has, his insecurities, his relationship with his family. He has so many layers. Easily the best character in the show
The episode also prefaces a lot of Zuko's lingering resentment of his birthright; firebending is a mark of his parentage, a great gift of noble lineage...but also a curse that loses him friends and makes him enemies. Even in the comics set after the show, he distrusts himself because his father was a terrible fire lord, so "that ability is in him as well". It's very Zuko to conflate phenotype with personality, despite Iroh being Iroh, a depth to Zuko's character I appreciate.
At the end of the episode I realized that Zuko was not only alone in the present but since the moment his mom left him and he was all alone with a sister that torments him for fun and his abusive dad who just became the firelord and could do whatever he wants
this has always been my favorite episode, not just because it centers around my favorite character and cements him as worthy of redemption but it also just works as a good well-rounded episode.
I honestly can’t explain how incredible you are.. The way you use your words and describe your characters based on the avatar its just wonderful. You earned a sub from me thank you for these videos.
Zuko alone, the episode so great that the Australian Broadcasting Corporation decided not to license it or any of the episodes past it. The last episode of Avatar that I saw until I finally found the full show online in 2014 was The Blind Bandit :/
It blew me away rewatching this episode after watching season 3 again first, how Zuko went from throwing bread at turtle ducks imitating Asuka to feeding them peacefully like he always wanted to after returning from exhile
This was such a cool episode. Zuko went through so much growth and maturity. To the audience, he turned from this frustrated little kid that was easy to laugh at into someone who had a serious backstory and wanted to overcome his past. His change in character was hinted at when he formed a connection with that family and didn't rob the pregnant woman, but it was so sick when he revealed he was a fire-bender and took pride in being who he was. When the family turned his back on him, it was cool to see him not get upset by it and ride off in the distance just as he came, except now he knew his path.
This is one of my all time favorite episodes. I think it's really interesting how hesitant Zuko is to use fire bending throughout the whole season as he is already conscious of the effect it would have of outing him. The final showdown exhibits just how skilled Zuko is even outside of his bending, being able to fend off an earth bender with just his split sword, but when it comes down to it, Zuko can't win without fire bending. Here that isn't just a power boost, it's him having to accept part of himself and that corresponds with the other part of himself you discuss in this video, his caring side. This theme is continued and resolved later in the series with Aang and Zuko's journey to discover the original fire benders and come to terms with the multifaceted nature of fire and of themselves. This episode does a fantastic job at showing Zuko's acceptance of himself and his own identity, which will become a key stepping stone to his betrayal of team Avatar and eventual recontextualization of his identity in book 3.
I love how this episode forces Zuko to experience first-hand the effects of Fire Nation imperialism that he's been complicit in. You can really see his worldview shifting in this episode & I think this experience played a big part in his final confrontation with his father later in the series.
Correction: Zuko cutting off his topknot didn't symbolize his rejection of the Fire Nation. It symbolized his rejection from the Fire Nation, his loss of status and title. It also symbolizes an end to an era of someone's life, and the beginning of another
I always loved watching this show ever since I was a kid, it was one of those shows that didnt underestimate how much I, a child, could follow and understand the story, how it showed the effects of colonization and war, things I was taught since I was young as I was raised knowing my own history and history of my people, as I am Lil'wat first nations.
2:57, Azula wasn't lying. His grandfather did ordered it, but Zuko's parents poisoned him that night. Zuko's mom did it to protect him, but for Ozai it was just a power grab. It's why his mom was forced to leave, as otherwise Ozai would point the evidence towards her.
all of zuko's backstory show us why his and azula's nature are so different and the reason behind the order to kill him.. avatar is really one of the best things ever created
I love how the western feel also carries over to the showdown in The Chase. And now on a rewatch I realized I misremembered that when Zuko is leaving, someone throws a rock after him, but no, someone is just holding one thinking about it. Which also recalls the ending of another classic western, Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, where at the end Garrett is riding away (into a sunrise rather than sunset, but the effect is the same) and a child throws stones at him.
Zuko was Jack Schaefer’s “Shane” in this episode for me. Not really welcome anywhere, but he cannot help but be kind, and always leaving such a lasting impression.
What other Avatar episodes/topics should I cover?
Click on THIS link and get 2 months of Skillshare free: skl.sh/captainmidnight24
Hey captain!
captainmidnight pls cover Sozins comet.
Azula wasn't lying. That's the whole reason Zuko's mother was banished because she killed Zuko's grandpa azulon when she learned that ozai was going to kill Zuko for him.
If you want low hanging fruit there's always "The Avatar and the Fire Lord."
If you want outside the box...It'd be nice if someone addressed the fact that Amon was right in TLoK. Non-benders are second class citizens in a lot of ways, especially as seen in the first season. It feels like the show contrived a backstory for Amon in order to force him into villain-hood. Korra spends MOST of the first season indulging her hubris and her power while ignoring the plight of the commoners. It would have been sweet to have the apotheosis of her arc in season one be the realization that Amon's movement is just and in so doing unlocking airbending whilst having her other elements locked.
Maybe like Zuko Alone, you could explore Korra Alone ? Especially in relationship to mental health
Zuko's grandfather did intent to have his son kill Zuko. This is explained during the day of black sun. But Zuko's mother conspired with her husband to kill the emperor instead, to keep Zuko alive.
And that just makes Azula even more sadistic. When she was still a little kid, she found out about the planned murder of her brother by her father. Instead of trying to warn him or even doing nothing, she relishes in this. She goes to tell Zuko in that snarky, prideful voice in such a way that Zuko doesn't know weather to believe her or not, making his torment much greater
Don’t forget Ozai was gonna do it
Yep, this is confirmed in the graphic novels!
@@KellyJoule It was also confirmed in the day of black sun part 2, where Ozai tells Zuko about what actually happened.
That's what I was about to say
Let’s be straight: Zuko is just one of the greatest fictional characters of all time.
I mean he is my favorite character in Avatar.
I am deeply concerned whenever somebody says Darth Vader or Vegeta have the best redemption arc of all time... So then I insist they watch Avatar The Last Airbender.
@@corrinflakes9659 true but zuko vegeta n Darth Vader all had great redemption
@@ezraelreynolds3442 Not really Darth Vader, to be honest in retrospect his was more like a last minute thing. And dying as his redemption moment feels cheap. Thus we don't see reformed Darth Vader like we see reformed Zuko and reformed Vegeta.
@bw 1506 I know he's not the objective best, but Sokka's my personal favourite.
Avatar is still being talked about? it's a good day
Avatar is always going to be talked about, especially with the Netflix series coming out.
@@caitlinbrewer4843 Its genuinely blown up recently (or at least my feed is ONLY avatar vids lool)
It's probably the greatest Western animated show of all time, so yeah
I’m 20 and have only just watched it, absolutely loved it!
@@WiloPolis03 The fact that on IMDB it ranks among the top 10 series of all time, with only Rick and Morty as the other animated series should say enough. Especially since ATLA is over a decade old.
Zuko Alone has to be one of the best written episodes in cartoon history: a true masterpiece.
@BL WOW.If that is true, then that has got to be one talented person
Maybe even the best
Yeah
For real
IMO it's one of the best written episodes in all of television, not just animation. Should go up there with The Office, Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul.
One correction. Azula wasn't lying when she said Azulon ordered Zuko's death. That's why Ursa conspired to kill Azulon, by giving Ozai a untraceable poison.
Was this in the comic or TV?
Cornell Adyas comic, but the comics are full cannon, written by the show's writers
@@cornelladyas1134 The comic.
@@cornelladyas1134 The Comics review the whole truth... but the show heavily implies that Ursa did something, cause the very next say of Azula saying Ozai was gonna kill Zuko, Azulon dies and Ursa vanishes.
@@azx7023 It's also told by Ozai in the day of the dark sun part 2
Best quote of Iroh
“I know your not supposed to cry over spilled tea... but its just so sad”
Iroh: "Argh this tea tastes like hot leaf juice."
Zuko: "Uncle that's what all tea is."
Iroh: "How can a member of my own family say something so horrible."
my personal fav (while a different tone) is pride is not the opposite of shame, it is its source.
When life gets bad take a bite out of a silver sandwich
- Zuko
An ageless, inspirational quote.
1:35 What movie? There was no Last Airbender movie here in Ba Sing Se. Here we are safe, here we are happy.
The Earth King has invited you to Lake Laogai.
@@matthew1882 I am grateful to accept his invitation
There is no war in Ba Sing Se
😂😂😂
The Earth King has invited you to Lake Laogai
*Zuko definitely is the greatest character in Avatar. I really love how the show convinced me that he was a compelling character not just as a villain. I sure do miss the show a lot.*
If you want something with a similar vibe and progression maybe check out full metal alchemist: brotherhood, the dragon prince (disclaimer: I have not watched it just heard it's similar) Voltron, legendary defender or Hunter X hunter.
Stay cool pal.
Or just rewatch Atla for the "I don't remember how many"th time.
Iroh is my best character in the show. The reveal on why he lost the siege of Ba Sing Se was the "Oh-shit-he-never-wanted-the-war" moment for me
Azula is a close 2nd in my opinion but yeah zuko is the best, and also one of the best fictional characters ever
I think Zuko is one of the greatest character of all time. He's definitely my favorite in Avatar and then Iroh. Zuko IS the definition of character development
Avatar was the childhood of millions, glad to see you cover this show
Right. I love it
Weird #2
I knew you’d be here
u weeb get out
I'm here too
Man you kinda skimmed over Zuko's arc and a major theme in the episode, identity. After abandoning Iroh, Zuko is left wandering. Not just literally but figuratively. Like majority of the series, he's struggling to figure out who he is. It's especially true in this episode as he's on his own for the first time and can't tell anybody his identity for his own safety. When he's first asked his name by Lee's mother, he hesitates before Lee's father says he doesn't have to answer. The question is then left hanging, "who is Zuko?" The entire episode he is the only person who knows his true identity, but even Zuko isn't sure who that is so he reflects on his childhood. At the end of the final battle, he remembers his mother's final words, "NEVER FORGET WHO YOU ARE." He realizes the only way he can succeed is to stop hiding who he is. Stop being ashamed and afraid of what he is. And, not to mention, "never give up without a fight" as the dagger Iroh gave him reads. He does what's right at the expense of everyone hating him, proudly stating his name and title before leaving the village with his head high. A crucial step in Zuko's journey to finding himself.
great comment
Awesome points, and I think that final moment where the village hates him for who he is, is kinda the first instance where zukos like, ok something needs to change here. I need to change what my name means, whether or not he would've fully admitted it at this point in the story.
One of my favourite exchanges in Zuko Alone is right at the end, when Azula takes Zuko's knife and he tells her to give it back. Azula says: 'who's going to make me? Mom?' It's such a small line, but it's so goddamn ominous, because it makes you realise that Zuko is completely defenceless now his mother has been banished. He's going to be stuck between Ozai and Azula with nobody to shield him from their abuse. This episode is so subtle and dark and truly is Avatar at its best.
My heart literally broke for him
That's why Iroh got his back :)
That's why iron got his back :)
Who didn’t have a crush on Zuko as a child? His character development makes my crush even more valid.
he was my first love lol he set the standards pretty high for real people
I first watched Avatar as a17 year old. Still have a crush on Zuko.
And I am a guy.
I never had a crush on him but I relate to him the most
robloxgamer123 u gay then lmao
Natalie Shah ikr.
Azula telling Zuko that Ozai is gonna kill him is probably one of the only times Azula DOESN’T lie
Good, good. Join us. Really interesting parallel between Azula and Michael Corleone!
Hello Future Me nice seeing you here, love your videos man !
Hello Future Me how is your sleep schedule after the live stream
Come and join our beautiful society
Please review the Kyoshi novels for me!
Hey Hello Future Me! Love your vids!
I always remember hating that kid at the end when he rejected Zuko because this episode is what made me accept Zuko as someone who is truly good.
“How could you say that?!”
destinyawaitsx3 I don’t remember hating the kid, I just got sad that the kid rejected Zuko.
destinyawaitsx3 To be fair to the child, it's not like he saw Zuko's flashbacks as they were happening 😂
Sad as it was I can't say I fault the kid for doing what he did. From his perspective Zuko deceived him and was the reason he was kidnapped by the military thugs.
@Anakin Skywalker well he had to say who he was for the true effect. the whole episode was about accepting who you are. flashbacks of his mother telling him to be who he is are what ended up fueling his fire, and he ended up proclaiming the truth about himself, even though it got him rejected. it showed how painful acceptance of oneself can be, especially to someone like zuko who had been rejected his entire life and who continued to be rejected throughout much of the series. not a smart decision, but a neccessary, impactful and powerful one that really made the episode
Delaney Marie big agree
Azulon scolded his dishonorable youngest son (Ozai) for his out of line speech about Lu Ten's death, during his petition for the throne's right over Iroh's, to which Azulon ordered Ozai to sacrifice his son, Zuko, so that he too would know the unending grief of losing your only son.
Mistaken was Azulon, however, to belive Ozai was anything like his brother Iroh. Ozai did not give two shits about sacrificing his own son, as he already treated Zuko like shit, under the suspicion that he was fruit of an affair. Zuko's mom, Ursula, was against this, so she made a deal with Ozai.
She offered to poison Azulon and kill him, so that Zuko would be spared from death. In exchange, Ozai would become Firelord, and she'd be exiled for her crime.
Surprisingly dark, for a children's show. But Avatar's awesome like that.
Ursa not Ursula, also I think Azulon suspected that other may feel the way that Ozai did that it was better for Ozai to be heir since he had an heir of his own, and the killing Zuko thing was probably partially to prevent a civil war.
Wait how did the government decide ozai would get the throne? By their law, wouldn’t iroh get offered the throne first? Possible plot hole? Can anyone explain this please?
@@leviloveserwin1809 No plothole at all. This was during Iroh's lowest point in his life. Totally devastated by his loss, i can see Iroh rejecting the fire throne (a fact counted and exploited by his brother Ozai, who is known to be cunning and manipulative).
Iroh then took his self-impossed exile, where he not only visited the nations he used to wage war on, but also supossedly had a life-changing experience in a mysterious trip to the spirit world.
@@leviloveserwin1809 The logic is Iroh lost his only son, so his family line has no heir to the throne. Ozai still has an heir (aka his children) so the throne is better to go to him.
@@nhancao4790 but at the ending of the episode in Azulon's funeral/ Ozai's coronation the master of ceremonies (or whatever he was) he says:... As it was your dying wish, you will be succeeded by your second son...
Which means Azulon wanted it that way. Unless it was a lie of course.
Remember even after Luten's death Azulon still wanted Iroh to succeed him as he got angry with Ozai when he asked him to make him Fire Lord using the excuse you talk about.
Zuko was the character that made me understand character growth and its importance in a long running story
And i just love how its represented in his different hair styles
Who would have guessed Zuko to become the one teaching aang how to firebend after watching the first episodes.. just brilliant writing
I love this!
Zuko was the first character whose character arc and decisions I actually cared about and was invested in.
The fact that zuko become the best father compared to the rest of the gang in The Legend of Korra make me feel so proud of him
have you also seen the clip of Izumi saying that she was staying out of this nonsense fighting and that her grandfathers spent too much time fighting nonsense wars.and she excluded her father Zuko since he ended the war, man he did a good job with her
He broke the cycle of abuse
Yeah that was nice to see
Cuhlapped and in korra when he says i have to go protect my daughter when korra and him speak about iroh in the spirit world
2:36 you say that Azula tells Zuko that his grandfather ordered his death. Then Zuko tells himself that Azula always lies, and that he is right. BUT Zuko's grandfather did order for Zuko to be killed. Zuko's dad was like "ok, whatever, I'll kill him, he is useless anyways," but then when Zuko's mom finds out she seeks to save Zuko by telling Zuko's father a plan for Zuko's father to take the throne. Then she kills Zuko's grandfather, she is banished, and Zuko's father takes the throne.
I already knew this but this kind of made me think. Azulon was some fucked up guy as well, what a dreadful line of Firelords they had.
@@juliansmit3770 ye
What's also always bothered me is the fact that they say sozin was ozai's grandfather.
Between the death of roku (at which time sozin seemed at least a 70 y/o man and the show's present there is a 112 year gap. In one episode it is said that azulon was firelord for 22 years and ozai has been firelord for probably less than ten years. That would mean sozin lived about 80 more years after the death of roku
@@denniss4685 azula did say sozin was ancient I guess
@@juliansmit3770 True, but at least Azulon still cared. After all, Azulon said that after Iroh lost his son. Even if Iroh had brought him disgrace, he understood his son was mourning and respected it. He also believed Zuko's death would hurt Ozai, so to me, Azulon seems like a cruel man who had a heart underneath, even if it was rotten. Ozai didn't had a heart at all.
@@juliansmit3770 I don't think he really did it to make Ozai know what it was like to lose a son. I think he did it to prevent a succession crisis. A lot of real life regimes have acted similarly, in the ottoman empire the brothers of the chosen heir were executed on his succession to prevent pretenders. Azulon was essentially shutting down the argument Ozaie mad that Ozai should succeed because he had successors of his own. Giving Iroh time to potentially have a new heir and restore balance to the succession.
Zuko also gave the knive away because it belonged to a general in Ba Sing Se, and after Zuko realized that the family lost their eldest son in the war (like Iroh lost his only son), he might have felt wrong further keeping this knive.
The story of this dagger came full circle when he gave it to the boy he saw himself in.
I love how they wrote that Zuko probably also realizes he gave the boy the wrong idea when he gifts him the knive. Zuko, throughout this episode, has had troubles with the "guards", and even supported the kid's shenanigans. He also showed him basic sword fighting skills like the oldee brothee. So the kid obviously projected his lost brother's relationship onto Zuko, understandably.
So when he receives the dagger that even says "never give up without a fight", right after losing his brother, oh gods of course he's gonna do that. It's basically an assignment at this point, even though Zuko never meant it.
Avatar is timeless. Glad people still talking about it.
Avatar is coming as a live action series to Netflix!
watched when i was 5 now im 18 and im still obsessed with it man lmfao. one of the best series ive ever seen and its from nick lmao
I love that it would have been so easy for you to talk fluff for another 46 seconds in order to hit that 10-minute mark, but you didn't. You said what you wanted to say. God, I love your channel so much.
1 correction, Azula was NOT lying about Ozai being ordered to kill Zuko. She told him that, not because she is a liar (though she is) but because she is a sadist who gets off on other people's pain.
The flashbacks also give an insight into how Azula treats her friends Mai and Ty-Lee. God I gotta give Mai and Ty-Lee credit for putting up with this for YEARS (though realistically that isn’t good for them) up till the moment they decide to stop helping her.
One of the greatest characters ever written. We see him literally grow and mature from an angry evil kid to a restrained calm adult
"No, I can't keep watching character studies of Zuko"
Yes you can. 😉
Azula always lies
*I'm a simple Duck*
I see an Avatar: The Last Airbender video
_I click_
Don't you mean "turtle-duck"?
I quack *
Shut up
And the turtle duck nation will get its revenge against azula for throwing bread meteors at us
more like simple rick
I honestly wouldn't mind if you kept this Avatar thing up forever.
Zuko is probably one of the greatest characters every created. The only down side is that now everyone wants villains to be Zuko when they're not.
Or they insist on Zutarra
@@tylersingleton9284 I mean, I do ship Zutara but that doesn’t take away from my enjoyment of Kaang or Maiko and I’m not, like, obsessive.
The only thing bad about zuko is that he doesnt kill ozai in the day of the black sun LMAO
@@arandomguy4409 it wasn't his destiny and he knew it
@Mert Kilic , i know, its just a joke, also ozai deserved to die
I hate saying that this episode is a classic and one of the greatest episodes of television.
Because that's every episode.
Wilo Polis
*The Great Divide has left the chat*
Maryam Muhib I kinda feel like the great divide is the perfect filler episode to kinda introduce the broader world that doesn’t involve benders too much. Idk it’s not my favorite episode either but I feel like it still helps with the pacing of the show
@@m1dnight426 Its the worst episode of the show, but ATLA was the best show ever, so the Great Divide on its own is a decent filler episode, its the silver coin in a bag of gold coins.
Totaly agree about how well written this show was. I just watched casually when the show first aired but got sucked into it quickly. Now I am 32 an rewatched the whole show with my 7 year old son. The characters are better written than in most adult shows. For me it's one of the best, if not the best animated series ever created
It’s so awesome how this show turned its limits into its strengths. ATLA’s inability to directly portray dark themes on screen made it so thoughtful and gave it more depth
Yeah honestly. The subtly about things, like Zuko's mother killing Azulon, were things I didn't pick up as a kid and as an adult give me chills. It's like Hitchcock, hinting at things and letting your mind imagine them is far more chilling
Great video so far but if memory serves me right it's actually true that zukos grandfather commanded ozai to kill him because ozai requested that he be made next in line for the throne after irohs son died and he failed to conquer bah sing se. That's the whole reason zukos mother is gone because it's believed she kills the fire Lord for ozai to save zuko
Wow, that's even more chilling!
@@captainmidnight thats fucking wild holy shit. nickelodeon really outdid themselves by creating this show and allowing the showrunners to fulfill their vision
its true dude... read the comics... ozai was gonna kill zuko, but instead poisoned fire lord azulon so that he would be made king before even iroh returns
@@aravindmuthu95 yeah i know its true
@@aravindmuthu95 It's even hinted at in the show, when Ursa says Azulon is in perfect health (or something like that)
Fun Fact: First avatar wan died on the same place where Zuko walked.
Walked where?
Zuko was one my favorites in the show. His redemption arc was so well written, and his reunion with Iroh gets me every time
Zuko alone is too darn good
Literally an excellent Western short story in its own right, alongside everything else
I always like to imagine that one day, after the events of the story are ended, Zuko saw the kid again, both of them all grown up, and they finally reconciled their differences to become friends.
But I know that probably wouldn't have happened. It just makes me happy to pretend that it would.
If you haven't seen the legend of Korra he does become an excellent fire lord. Apart from that I think most of his extra content is in the comics.
@@bartandaelus359
Saw Korra and read a handful of the post-ending comics (not all). Of the stuff I've seen, little Lee never reunited with Zuko. If I missed it somewhere, definitely let me know. I'd kill to read it. :)
@@Lady_de_Lis personally I'd rather not know. We don't need a solo origin for everything in existence. This way we can speculate.
My guess is he found they boy's captured older brother and brought him back to his family. I don't think he stayed for a thank you though, it's not Zuko's style, he doesn't do what he does for a thank you he does it because his honor demands it.
@@DaDunge
Yeah, that sounds highly plausible to me for Zuko's character. But as far as the logic of the events of the show, idk if Zuko would be even given the chance to do that.
It would only work if Sensu (Lee's big brother) even managed to survive that long in the army at all. Not to mention, Lee's father, Gansu, was planning to join the army to go find Sensu and bring him home. As a simple non-bending farmer, his chances of survival surely wouldn't be very high either.
In all likelihood, Lee and his mother would have been left all by themselves to take care of the farm, and they would probably still be under the thumb of those Earth bending tyrants. (Just cause Zuko beat them once doesn't mean they would leave for good).
So... sadly, I kinda doubt Lee's family would get a happy ending like that. Even if Zuko did everything he could to track down Sensu and Gansu, there probably wouldn't be anyone left for him to find. :(
The fact that this channel is embracing more and more videos about niche topics but specifically Avatar is like the best thing ever. Keep up the good work, love your super calm, thoughtful presentation!
Zuko is the greatest character of all time in terms of arc.
Not really, it’s really the bad boy turns into a good guy cliche you’ve seen a million times in tv shows. If you want greatest character of all time in terms of arc then you should watch the entire Naruto anime for Sasuke and Gaara and that’s we’re you’ll have the greatest character of all time in terms of arc🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️
No
A great character arc, but definitely nowhere near the greatest of all time, for me, the greatest has got to be Jesse pinkman In breaking bad.
Hyperbole there are better written characters
@@michaelhigbee4151 breaking bad is OVERRATED shit
My favorite part is when he announces that he is Prince Zuko son of the firelord not in a way that he had before, almost accepting the crap hes come from very big moment for his character arguably the biggest
Zuko has one of the best character acrs in FICTION. PERIOD.
I highly disagree, it's not even close to the greatest.
One of the best channels for writing and analysis on UA-cam and one of the best shows ever to air. Time to be a nitpicky UA-cam commenter though...
Azulon DOES tell Ozai to kill Zuko as a punishment for his presumption to take the throne. The graphic novels, which are cannon, go into this further when Zuko goes to find his mother after becoming Fire Lord. Ursa, Zuko's mother, uses an untraceable poison to assassinate Azulon.
Technically, Azula is lying but only because she believes that Ozai will follow through and doesn't know about the assassination plot.
Seriously though, your work on this channel is inspired.
Ozai was actually going to do it, he admits it to Zuko during the day of black sun. However Ursa provides Ozai with a way to actually ascend to the throne.
Tell Im not alone.
11 years later, I'm still CRUSHING HARD on zuko.
Captainmidnight might be my favorite superhero
Avatar the last airbender was just as much Zuko’s story as it was Aangs
This is one of my favorite episodes because it give Zuko’s story much more depth way before his legit redemption in season 3. At this point in the series, we know how he got his scar, but not much else about him, and this gives the audience so much insight on his life before that time. Zuko was born into a life of privilege, but within his own family was underprivileged himself. The only person who cared for him was his mother and she was taken away from him, which makes it that much more impactful later ok when he relates to Katara. Overall, this episode is a wonderfully written character study that really stands out to me.
“My first girlfriend became the moon”
...
...
“That’s rough buddy”
What I find particularly tragic in this episode, is that I'm convinced that the dad wouldn't have cared about who Zuko actually is; he was really shown to be the type of person who doesn't judge a person's past, but rather how they are now, and Zuko did help his family and saved his son. However, since the dad had left, he wasn't around to influence his family
I just watched this show for the first time. At 24, I don't have "nostalgia blindness" for it, and I can say without a doubt it is the best animated shows I have ever seen.
4:55 Wow, I didn't notice it was them until just now. It's that attention to detail is why I love Avatar the last Airbender.
You know a show is a true classic when EVERYONE HAS THEIR OWN FAVORITE EPISODE. An unbelievable accomplishment.
With enough time, every ATLA episode will have an accompanying UA-cam video to explain why it is one of the best episodes in the series
This deserves a like alone for being avatar content.
Maybe a video about the owl in library of knowledge only being used to hurt others.
YESSS
Overall, I think this is easily one of the best UA-cam videos about ATLA I’ve ever seen
This is ridiculous! His scar is on the wrong side!!
It *IS NOT* on the wrong side
@@flightrisk1047 So was I, literally Zukos quote. 😂
I've always liked that shot of Zuko contemplating the couple for two reasons:
One you've already mentioned, and the other being the close up camera shot of him reaching for his weapon.
Just like Zuko's scar is symbolic of "the human heart in conflict with itself" , so too is his dual sword. They could have just shown a full frame shot of him reaching for his sword, but the intense close up I think was made on purpose to draw attention to the two conflciting parts within Zuko .
Jet is also given dual swords, and he too finds himself caught having to make choices between right and wrong. Overall just a really nice detail by the writers.
WoW! I never thought about the detail that Azula is like michael from godfather who does evil things but with forethought and reason instead of only being the generic bad guy.
I think Zuko’s dilemma showed up far earlier than Zuko Alone. Remember the storm? He starts off saying he doesn’t care about the well-being of his crew but in the end he abandons his pursuit of Aang because he does care about his crew after all. He’s trying so hard to be like his father but he just can’t do it.
Zuko is always gonna be my top favorite character along with Yuna from Final Fantasy X. Both of them shaped me into the person I am today. Zuko's arc was so emotional and powerful, sometimes it shocks me that this is considered a "kids show" because man.. they really smack you in the feels with some heavy stuff. This show only gets better as you get older in my opinion. You truly appreciate it and truly understand the heaviness of the sad moments, the fear Aang has about trying to decide if he wants to use violence to stop Ozai, Iroh losing his son, Zuko struggling to get on the right path, Katara confronting the man who killed her mother, etc. Man it just gets so much better with time. Love this show so much.
Every single frame, line and sound effect of this show is precious.
I'm watching the show for the first time and watch these videos right after I've gotten to the episodes they cover; loving it so far
I also like the western/samurai aesthetic of the episode. It makes Zuko really feel like a lone wanderer who’s running from the past.
2:45 But she wasn't lying. In the comics they reveal that not only did Azulon tell Ozai to kill Zuko, he was going to do it until Zuko's mother steps in.
The amount of depth Zuko has in a Nickelodeon cartoon is honestly really crazy. The amount of layers he has, his insecurities, his relationship with his family. He has so many layers. Easily the best character in the show
Ad: recreate the movie
Me: *takes a dump* there...
More episode like this! Love the show and love your analysis. It give me a lot of memories
I will always have a soft spot for Zuko. It's hard to believe a kid's show managed to create such an awesome, successful growth arc for a villain.
what about for Azula?
I love this analysis and the parallels it draws
The episode also prefaces a lot of Zuko's lingering resentment of his birthright; firebending is a mark of his parentage, a great gift of noble lineage...but also a curse that loses him friends and makes him enemies. Even in the comics set after the show, he distrusts himself because his father was a terrible fire lord, so "that ability is in him as well". It's very Zuko to conflate phenotype with personality, despite Iroh being Iroh, a depth to Zuko's character I appreciate.
Gosh that made me realize how much younger than Ozai Zuko was when he became Fire Lord.
This is still one of, if not the best episode in the series. Zuko is the one character in the series that I’m genuinely invested in.
At the end of the episode I realized that Zuko was not only alone in the present but since the moment his mom left him and he was all alone with a sister that torments him for fun and his abusive dad who just became the firelord and could do whatever he wants
when zuko is in the last episode stands with aang on the podium sees that boy clapping for him and then zuko smiles that would make it a full-circle
keep coming back to this in between rewatching the episode... it's so important
The ending fight of Zuko and Azula was epic.
He just showed The Movie That Doesn't Exist in his video....
CaptainMidnight is one of my favorite channels on UA-cam for film/TV analysis and discussion!!!
this has always been my favorite episode, not just because it centers around my favorite character and cements him as worthy of redemption but it also just works as a good well-rounded episode.
I honestly can’t explain how incredible you are.. The way you use your words and describe your characters based on the avatar its just wonderful. You earned a sub from me thank you for these videos.
Zuko is one of my favourite TV characters of all time. This episode is heart-breaking and brilliant. Thanks for the video, it's great.
Rewatching this on netflix, this is easily my favorite episode up to this point. So better than the storm imo
I am so happy to see people talk about Avatar so much recently
Zuko alone, the episode so great that the Australian Broadcasting Corporation decided not to license it or any of the episodes past it.
The last episode of Avatar that I saw until I finally found the full show online in 2014 was The Blind Bandit :/
It blew me away rewatching this episode after watching season 3 again first, how Zuko went from throwing bread at turtle ducks imitating Asuka to feeding them peacefully like he always wanted to after returning from exhile
So we're just gonna pretend like his burn scar in the thumbnail isn't on the wrong side?
ITS NOT ON THE WRONG SIDE
@@TheArtis4n it is. It's supposed to be on his left eye-area. Not right side
God I love this show. Even as a child I was always drawn to Zuko's story, even if I didn't fully understand it.
Zuko’s character development is impressive
This was such a cool episode. Zuko went through so much growth and maturity. To the audience, he turned from this frustrated little kid that was easy to laugh at into someone who had a serious backstory and wanted to overcome his past. His change in character was hinted at when he formed a connection with that family and didn't rob the pregnant woman, but it was so sick when he revealed he was a fire-bender and took pride in being who he was. When the family turned his back on him, it was cool to see him not get upset by it and ride off in the distance just as he came, except now he knew his path.
This is one of my all time favorite episodes. I think it's really interesting how hesitant Zuko is to use fire bending throughout the whole season as he is already conscious of the effect it would have of outing him. The final showdown exhibits just how skilled Zuko is even outside of his bending, being able to fend off an earth bender with just his split sword, but when it comes down to it, Zuko can't win without fire bending. Here that isn't just a power boost, it's him having to accept part of himself and that corresponds with the other part of himself you discuss in this video, his caring side. This theme is continued and resolved later in the series with Aang and Zuko's journey to discover the original fire benders and come to terms with the multifaceted nature of fire and of themselves. This episode does a fantastic job at showing Zuko's acceptance of himself and his own identity, which will become a key stepping stone to his betrayal of team Avatar and eventual recontextualization of his identity in book 3.
I have to comment because this comment deserves to have comments
The character development of Zuko is absolutely amazing.
I love how this episode forces Zuko to experience first-hand the effects of Fire Nation imperialism that he's been complicit in. You can really see his worldview shifting in this episode & I think this experience played a big part in his final confrontation with his father later in the series.
Correction: Zuko cutting off his topknot didn't symbolize his rejection of the Fire Nation. It symbolized his rejection from the Fire Nation, his loss of status and title. It also symbolizes an end to an era of someone's life, and the beginning of another
Yes, exactly. At that point he still wishes he could go back
I always loved watching this show ever since I was a kid, it was one of those shows that didnt underestimate how much I, a child, could follow and understand the story, how it showed the effects of colonization and war, things I was taught since I was young as I was raised knowing my own history and history of my people, as I am Lil'wat first nations.
if atla is still not gonna be talked about in the next 20 years, i’m rioting
2:57, Azula wasn't lying. His grandfather did ordered it, but Zuko's parents poisoned him that night. Zuko's mom did it to protect him, but for Ozai it was just a power grab. It's why his mom was forced to leave, as otherwise Ozai would point the evidence towards her.
all of zuko's backstory show us why his and azula's nature are so different and the reason behind the order to kill him..
avatar is really one of the best things ever created
I love how the western feel also carries over to the showdown in The Chase.
And now on a rewatch I realized I misremembered that when Zuko is leaving, someone throws a rock after him, but no, someone is just holding one thinking about it. Which also recalls the ending of another classic western, Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, where at the end Garrett is riding away (into a sunrise rather than sunset, but the effect is the same) and a child throws stones at him.
It makes me sad that we didn’t get to see more of good zuko 😭
Zuko was Jack Schaefer’s “Shane” in this episode for me. Not really welcome anywhere, but he cannot help but be kind, and always leaving such a lasting impression.